The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-10
COMMENTS ON THE MESSAGE.
What Leading Journals Think OF thu
Presldent's Address.

What Leading Journals Think OF tho
President's Address.
New York Times: Mr.. Cleveland has done
All act of craftsmanship in the best sense.
Recognizing great duty, he has performed
it with courage, with firnness, and at the
rigfft time. And he has performed It so that
every honest man must see that 1t Is an hon.
est act. Judged by an ordinary standard OF
political expediency the Presidents act is in
expedient He has forced upon his party an
issue as to which the party is divided, and SO
divided that unless the minority yield. it can
defeat the win Of the majority. 1t places
Mr.. Cleveland far above any Of the leaders
to whom the Republican party has OF Late
lent hearing, and above most Of the leaders
OF his own party.
New York Sun: II is not commonplace
document, for it is simple, Ineligible, and
coherent. Mr.. Cleveland has never before in
public paper taken sides squarely upon this
1.-THE tariff question. He has done so now in
a manner that leaves room for no misunder-
standing. 1t is bold thing to do, and the
President deserves credit for the plainness of
his speech. No one can accuse him OF hedg-
ing, or haggling, or Juggling with words. 80
far does he 60 on the familiar lines Of the free
trade speeches in Congress or elsewhere, that
we find him betrayed here and there, no
doubt unconsciously, into an exhibition OF
slight irritation against American manufac-
turers as class, almost as though they were
conspirators and public enemies.
New York World: The admirable mes
sage Of the President has given to the Demo-
cratic party what it has long lacked--an
o,,l bo ic 20
the leader is the President. 1t can hardly be
that the President has not at this juncture
influence enough to secure the union Of the
Democrats in the Houso upon measure of
revenue reduction and tariff reform.
Chicago Inter Ocean: The President has
issued free-trade pamphlet in which no
argument is educed that has NOT been used
by all the Golden Club organs till it has be-
come stale and threadbare.
Chicago Tribune: The me ssage is able and
statesmanlike luminous in style; prespicu-
Gus in statement; clear in its reasoning; and
irrefutable in its conclusions. 1t is moderate
protection doctrine such as has been exempli-
fled more than once in the public utterances
of both the great political parties,
Chicago Times: The Presidents message to
the Fiftieth Congress is u new departure,
original and unique. 1t is the beginning of
the new and better method Of inviting the
attention of Congress briefly to some sugges-
tions on a single topic Of leading Importance
on which, in the judgment Of the admins
tration. legislative cooperation in q certain
directionIis necessary, or of high Importance.
In electing this course, there is much ground
for the opinion that the timely and excellent
suggestions from the White House will not
be passed over with the customary legisla-
tive disregard of suggestions from the consti
tutional head Of the Republic.
Chicago News: There is no partisanship,
no free trade. no appeal to class prejudice,
no special hobby, in the Presidents message.
| 1t is plain patriotic common sense from open
to close. He has done we'll in combining it to
the one subject Of tariff reform. His action
must focus public attention upon the neces
sity Of a systematic reduction Of the tariff
| without prejudice and without favor.